Penstemon plant named ‘YAPMINE’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Penstemon  plant named ‘YAPMINE’ that is characterized by its flowers that are pink-purple with a white throat, its flowers that are outward facing and presented symmetrically on the flowering stem, its short flowering stems with short internode lengths, its good basal branching resulting in repeat flowering, and its seedpods that remain green for a long period and up to frost.

Botanical classification: Penstemon hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘YAPMINE’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is co-pending with U.S. Plant Patent Applications filed for plants derived from the same breeding program that are entitled Penstemon Plant Named ‘YAPROSE’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 14/999,097) and Penstemon Plant Named ‘YAPRUBY’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 14/999,099).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Penstemon plant of hybrid origin, botanically known as Penstemon ‘YAPMINE’ and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘YAPMINE’. The new cultivar represents a new herbaceous perennial grown for garden and container use.

The new invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Congleton, Cheshire, United Kingdom with the main objectives of developing new cultivars of Penstemon with good basal branching, shorter branch internodes and long blooming periods.

‘YAPMINE’ was derived from a cross made in mid June of 2012 between unnamed and unpatented proprietary plants of Penstemon of hybrid origin from the Inventor's breeding program as both the female parent and male parent. ‘YAPMINE’ was selected in August of 2013 as a single unique plant from amongst the resulting seedlings.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the Inventor by stem cuttings in 2013 in Congleton, Cheshire, United Kingdom. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘YAPMINE’ as a unique cultivar of Penstemon.

-   -   1. ‘YAPMINE’ exhibits flowers that are pink-purple with a white         throat.     -   2. ‘YAPMINE’ exhibits flowers that are outward facing and         presented symmetrically on the flowering stem.     -   3. ‘YAPMINE’ exhibits short flowering stems with short internode         lengths.     -   4. ‘YAPMINE’ exhibits good basal branching resulting in repeat         flowering.     -   5. ‘YAPMINE’ exhibits seedpods that remain green for a long         period and up to frost.         The female parent of ‘YAPMINE’ differs from ‘YAPMINE’ in having         flowers that are held more downward and that are less         symmetrical on the flowering stem. The male parent of ‘YAPMINE’         differs from ‘YAPMINE’ in having a less compact plant habit.         ‘YAPMINE’ can be compared to its sibling cultivars ‘YAPROSE’ and         ‘YAPRUBY’. Both are similar to ‘YAPMINE’ in growth and flowering         characteristics other than flower color. ‘YAPROSE’ differs from         ‘YAPMINE’ in having flowers that are more pink in color with a         white throat. ‘YAPRUBY’ differs from ‘YAPMINE’ in having flowers         that are more red in color with a white throat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Penstemon. The photographs were taken of a 4 month-old plant of ‘YAPMINE’ as grown in a 2-liter container in Gensingen, Germany.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of a plant of ‘YAPMINE’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘YAPMINE’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized and the color values cited in the Detailed Botanical Description accurately describe the colors of the new Penstemon.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 6 month-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in 25-cm containers in Hampshire, England. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Late May through October in The United             Kingdom.         -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Plant habit.—Deciduous, upright, sturdy, and uniform.         -   Height and spread.—An average of 35 cm in height and 30 cm             in spread.         -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zone 5.         -   Diseases and pests.—No disease or pest problems have been             observed.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, NN155B in color. -   Growth and propagation:     -   -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.         -   Time required for root development.—An average of two weeks             for root initiation about six weeks to produce a young             rooted plant.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate. -   Stem description:     -   -   Branching habit.—Continuously produced basal stems             throughout the growing season.         -   Stem size.—An average of 40 cm (including inflorescence) in             length and 4 mm in diameter.         -   Stem shape.—Rounded.         -   Stem color.—N144D.         -   Stem surface.—Glabrous, base is covered with very short             translucent hairs, <1 mm in length.         -   Stem aspect.—Held at an average angle of 45° to soil level             (=0°=horizontal).         -   Stem strength.—Strong.         -   Internode length.—An average of 3 cm. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf size.—An average of 14 cm in length and 3 cm in width.         -   Leaf quantity.—About 30 (15 pairs) per stem.         -   Leaf base.—Rounded and slightly auriculate.         -   Leaf apex.—Acuminate.         -   Leaf color.—Young and mature upper surface; between 137C and             146B, young and mature lower surface; 138B.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate pattern, upper and lower midrib veins             are 144D in color, other veins match leaf color and are             barely visible.         -   Leaf margins.—Shallowly serrate.         -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile and clasping.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous on upper and lower surface. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal cyme.         -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 20 cm in length and 7 cm             in width.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 10 days, self-cleaning.         -   Flower size.—An average of 3 cm in depth and 1.6 to 2 cm in             diameter.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Flower number per inflorescence.—An average of 30 flowers.         -   Flower shape.—Tubular to campanulate.         -   Flower aspect.—Outward to slightly upright.         -   Flower buds.—Ovoid in shape, an average of 2.8 cm in length             and 1.1 cm in diameter, color; 61A.         -   Flower petals.—5, fused into tube with lobes free, lobes;             rounded in shape, margins entire and slightly wavy, obtuse             apex, lobes an average of 1.2 cm in length and 1.8 cm in             width, slightly recurved, surface texture smooth on inner             surface and covered with simple pubescence on outer surface,             inner and outer surface color 70A, tube; an average of 3 cm             in length and 1.5 cm in width, inner surface color is 70A,             outer surface color is 70A to 70B, both surfaces fading to             NN155B in color.         -   Bracts.—2 per flower, elliptic to narrowly elliptic in             shape, acuminate apex, rounded base, surface texture is             pubescent with short simple hairs 59B in color, an average             of 2.5 cm in length and 1 cm in width, both surfaces are             137C in color.         -   Sepals.—An average of 5, rotate, broad ovate in shape,             entire margin, acute apex, base fused, an average of 8 mm in             length and 7 mm in width, surfaces glabrous and pubescent,             146C to 146D in color.         -   Calyx.—Rotate, an average of 8 mm in length and 7 mm in             width, 146C to 146D in color.         -   Peduncle.—Same characteristics as stem description,             inflorescence portion an average of 20 cm in length.         -   Pedicel.—Rounded in shape, an average of 4 mm in length and             1 mm in diameter, moderately strong in strength, 144C in             color, glabrous and smooth surface texture. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, an average of 2 mm in length and 1 mm             in width, style; an average of 2 cm in length and 1 mm in             width, 72C in color, fading to NN155B towards the apex in             color; stigma; club-shaped, an average of 2 mm in length and             1 mm in width, NN155A in color, ovary; narrow conical in             shape, superior, glabrous surface, 5 mm in length and 3 mm             in width (in the flower) and 144C in color.         -   Androecium.—Stamens; 4 joined to the base of the corolla,             alternate to lobes, filament; an average of 2 mm in length             and 1.5 mm in width and N155B in color; anther; an average             of 3 mm in length and 1 mm in width, dorsifixed, elliptic in             shape, and NN155A in color, pollen is moderate in quantity             and NN155A in color.         -   Fruit and seed.—Capsule; remains green (144A) throughout             growing season, seeds; few per capsule, ellipsoid in shape,             N199A in color, 1.5 mm in length and >1 mm in width. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Penstemon plant named ‘YAPMINE’ as herein illustrated and described. 